Reminiscing...

Well, it seems as if everyone is having babies lately so I am having a moment & wishing mine was still little like this:)! It's hard to believe that the Bish that I know now (the one that just changed the tape in the VCR by himself) is the same Bishop as in this picture. What a difference 2.5 years makes:)!! I know I am being a gushy mom...all senimental & yada yada yada....I can't help it. A friend of mine just had a baby & TWO of Brad's cousins have had babies in the last month. It makes me miss a newborn:)!! (Don't go getting ideas Tammy...I miss MY newborn Bish, I don't want another one:)!! And Mandy & Holly will have babies soon....babies everywhere!! So I wnet searching through mom's picture to look at mine once again. He was adorable!! He was around 2.5 months in this picture...it was taken during the SuperBowl right after he was born. Ahhhhhh!
(Okay, Robin, I don't know if this is what you had in mind...it will probably make you all sentimental too...maybe it will help us past these terrible two moments they are having lately:)!! See if you can find one of Caiden to post to...I miss that little baby too!! Okay...I am done walking down memory lane (actually probably not...but I'll quit dragging everyone else with me:)!!! Hope everybody had a GREAT weekend & that everybody has a Fabulous Monday!!

"We walk by FAITH, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

Isn't Bishop cute in his goggles?!?!?!? :) 

Wonderful Wednesday

Today was nice. It's the first day in a while that I can say I REALLY enjoyed. Bish and I got up & of course went to Small Fry. It wasn't too crowded today & was lots of fun. We had a "picnic" which consisted of making ants with our thumbprints & eating watermelon. Not much of a picnic but the kids thought it was great so who cares, right? We came home & it felt WONDERFUL outside. It is not very often in Dallas, in JULY, that you get the opportunity to say it felt WONDERFUL outside...but thank you Lord for that opportunity!!! It was absolutly perfect! We stayed outside for a long time. Bish rode his 4-wheeler while I read, we threw the ball, we chased Shadow & took a walk...it was awesome! Finally we went inside & he layed down & took a nap!! I mean we actually went into his room & I patted his back & he WENT TO SLEEP!!! Amazing! After he got up, we went BACK outside because you just don't waste weather like this in July. (It was SO nice that I turned off the A.C. & opened the windows.) We went walking & checked the mail & cleaned out the car (aren't you proud, mom?!?!?) Then we came inside & had to work on the house some more... & cook dinner. All in all...it would probably be considered a boring day by many...but for us, it was a WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!!! Now Bish is asleep, Brad is doing homework & I am escaping into the world wide web. Okay..this was the most boring blog ever....good night.

Bishop hanging out in the University Center:)!! 

This is just for Jo.... 

Striking a pose at the seal!! Notice the Bish's shirt:) 

All of us in front of the Roy Rogers statue in Memorial Circle on campus! 

What a WONDERFUL Weekend!!

Well we made it home from West Texas. It was a LONG trip but it was SO fun that I don't even mind that we were in the car for 12 hours in the last 3 days:)!!! We started out on Friday...we left around 7 in the evening only planning on going half way. Well, that went out the window in Abeliene & we drove on into Lubbock around 1 in the morning:)!! Whew!! It looks the same & it was neat to be back. We obviously went to bed & Bish woke us up around 8. Of course, the first place we went was TEXAS TECH, baby!! It does NOT look the same...it is amazing what all has changed in 4 years. Bish & I walked around (taking pictures, of course) & Mom, Dad, & Brad followed in the car. After the sightseeing tour we went to my fav restaurant, Jazz. That makes me miss Lubbock! We drove around town some more & then went back to the hotel to get ready for Shawnee's wedding. (No details on that, right now....I'm w/Mandy...she should tell about it first.) All I will say is that is was beautiful & fun to see everyone!!!! After that we went back to the hotel for a swim & to relax but that got cut short due to a small food catastraphe so Brad & I decided to go to dinner @10:00. We went to the 50th Street Caboose...okay but not what I wanted:( (are you playing your violin, mom?:) This morning we got up & drove home...there is another story in that but I will put it on MY blog to save my mom a little embarrassment:)!!! We are home now safe & sound. It was a LOT of fun...I think even Brad may have enjoyed it a little bit!!! We LOVED getting to see every0ne but will not post pictures of Sat. night until Lashawn does.
Here are a few from Lubbock though...

Lubbock, Texas

In a few short hours, we will ALL be getting in to the car & driving to LUBBOCK TEXAS!!! And when I say ALL of us...I mean all of us. Brad, Bishop, SHADOW, Mom & Dad & I are all going to pile into one car & hit the road. This sounds insane & it kind of is but we have done it before & have survived & even managed to have a good time. We were not planning on taking Shadow but circumstances have come about & we have to so...the more the merrier, right?! We are actually only going to drive half way tonight. It is a 6 hour drive so we are going to try to break it up & this way we'll get a little more time in Lubbock...there is a lot I want to see.
We are headed to Lubbock for a very special reason. Lashawn (Rantings of Lashawn link), one of my oldest friends is getting married. I AM so excited to be going. Her parents are friends of my parents so we have known each other since I was 4 years old. I am so excited to see her & her family & be a part of her wedding. I am also very excited just to see how much Lubbock has changed...I haven't been back since I graduated. I know it has grown but some things never change in Texas towns & I can't wait to visit all my fav places to eat & the campus. I will DEFINITELY post pictures of our trip when we get back.
I hope that everbody has a GREAT weekend!! Guns Up & God Bless!!!!!

I miss my BOO!!

Brad & I are kid free tonight?!?!? We were kid free last night...whoa, I know! Yesterday was my birthday so we went & met mom & dad for dinner (thank you daddy!!) & they took the Bish home to keep him for TWO WHOLE DAYS!!!! (Are you shocked, Tammy?) I am having a blast but I miss him!!!!! Yesterday Summer & Terry came over to help me celebrate & we played some crazy game called Cranium...that is fun!!! Today I had to work @ McDonald's ALL DAY LONG!!! I went in at 9 & did not get done until after 5 (I did take a few breaks:). Crazy day...that's why my mom took Bish...I had a meeting that he couldn't go to. And I think it was a success so YEAH!! This evening I have done a little work, a LoT of housework & just a little bit of loving on my hubby. It is nice to be childless for an evening but a little weird. I look around & I'm like, it's quiet. And Shadow is quite annoying without Bishop to entertain him...he is much more high maintenence without Bish here. I think I better go...I have to go get caught up on Big Brother...I know that we are sad...no kid & we're watching reality television. But I promise that we will go to bed early:)....

Our trip to Altus

Well, Bishop & I have had a LONG weekend & you could tell that right now if you were sitting here listening to him WHINE like I am?!?!?! Okay...sorry. He has just been a little whiny this weekened, I'm sure because he hasn't felt well but I am going CRAZY!!!! Thursday, after work, we drove to mom's so that we could go gargage saleing on Friday morning...we had planned to do that a lot this summer but here it is the middle of July & we haven't yet. We woke up to rain on Friday morning so our garage sale fun was cancelled. Instead we just got on the road to Altus. We stopped in Wichita Falls & grabbed a bite to eat & then hit the road again. We got to Altus around 3 & got to hang out with Mama. We finally got rid of her & Papa for a minute so we could get all of her birthday stuff out & surprise her. And boy did we!! She had NO idea. It wasn't anything big but it was a surprise so that was fun! The last picture is of her & Bish with her cake. I think that she had a good time.
On Saturday we got up & went to a few garage sales with my aunt Do while Mama & Papa went to a funeral. That's where the picture with the Statue of Liberty came from...some random yard:)! I figured that might be the closest we get to having Bishop's picture taken with it:)!! After that we had lunch & went to pick up the remains of our dear longhorn, Ms. Wichita. We had her for several years but she had hurt her leg & when Papa tried to load her in the trailer, she charged him. He was not hurt, thank God!!! He took her to the vet & he didn't have a chute that could hold her (the horns...) so Papa decided to just bring her to Altus & make her into hamburgers. It is kind of sad but not when you consider what COULD have happened. He might have gotten her home & she would never have done that again...but he just can't take that chance. Needless to say, we have enough hamburger meat for a WHILE!!! After that, we headed home. We made one more stop in Henrietta to drop off a wedding gift & I got to see the bride (her wedding was Sat. night:)!! I am SO glad...she showed me the church & the reception site & I even got to sample the food:)!! I couldn't stay because Bish was still not feeling good & I'm glad I got to see everything but it made me REALLY sad that I couldn't go. I got to see some old friends briefly & that made me sad too:)!! Mary-it looked beautiful...I'm sure that it WAS beautiful. I am so sorry that I couldn't stay!! We'll be praying for the move! (this is really long & boring...sorry!) We finally made it home ( I hate TRAFFIC!!) & did not much else. We got up this morning & went to church & then played games & hung out. We did get Bishop's new shelves here & finally got his playroom cleaned up so he can destroy it again!!! I better run....Brad & I need to catch up on Big Brother!!!

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalms

Happy Monday!!

Side note: Thank you MOM for being SO wonderful!! Thank you for keeping Bishop Thursday & for offering this week. You are amazing & I LOVE YOU!!!

Bishop helping Mama celebrate her birthday!! 

Bishop in front of the STATUE OF LIBERTY in Altus, Oklahoma?!?! 

Is anybody out there?

I am beginning to think that no one but my blogging buddies read these. I originally created it so that people from afar could keep up with us but I am not sure tht anyone from afar reads them. I know that Kim & Tammy have checked it before but I'm not sure that they still do....hint hint, leave comments:)!
Today was blah. Not horrible blah, just blah. Bish has a fever & I worked 12 hours today so it is just blah. I'm praying that Bish's fever will break overnight & he will feel 100% better tomorrow morning because Mom & I are leaving for Altus tomorrow to pick up hamburger meat. We had to butcher our longhorn at the farm so we have to go pick up our half of the meat.
I think that we are going to try to go to garage sales in the morning...I haven't been in weeks...I am very excited. Then we will just drive on to Oklahoma, stay the night & come back on Saturday afternoon. Fun, Fun...:).
This is a VERY boring blog....I am going to bed now:)!!
TGIF!!!

Well, it was definitely a Wednesday! We had 18 kids at Small Fry this morning & then a daycare came in with about 20 kids...talk about chaotic. That was GOOD birth control! Bishop did learn how to play air hockey today. He had played it before with his daddy but today he played it with a friend by himself!! He has got some pretty good hand/eye coordination...I was VERY proud. Then Bish & I had to go to my bosses house for a couple of hours for meetings & then he crashed on the way home. I took that time to clean up a little bit & get dishes done & start laundry that is still not finished *sigh* is it ever? We all gathered around the table to watch a movie & discovered that a dog competition was on. Has anyone ever watched one of those? They are so funny! It makes you look at your dog & go, why can't you do that? Bishop liked watching the puppies but Shadow kept running up to the tv & barking at them...guess they made him feel a little inferior:). Bishop tired of the dogs after a while & decided to watch the Little People. I finally got him to his room & we read some books & said our prayers & he is now on his way to dreamland. Brad is in the living room playing Poker while I blog...are we boring or what!?!? Robin...I hope that you are having MORE fun than this...I prayed that you are:)! And, Mandy...we will be praying that Tater is fine...I'm sure he is, but a few extra prayers can't hurt! And Jodi...thanks for the picture of Bella!!! Now, how did you get the title above the picture?

Just chillin' in the baby pool with all his friends:) 

I tried to catch him in mid jump. I though this looked painful but he & his friends apparently did not:) (He even managed to keep his grip on his water gun!!) 

Bishop having a blast @ Splash Day!! He LOVED the slip-n-slide!! 

Splash Day

Bishop is in love with "school" now. Today was splash day. As a teacher...it is NO fun. For the kids...it is a small piece of Heaven. Bishop LOVED it!! He would run really fast & jump into the baby pool...he would land with a thud & then bust out laughing. He did this over & over & over!! He did this until he discovered the slip-n-slide. Then the rest of the water fun was history. My co-teacher, Tiffany, was throwing the kids on the slide & then they would fly head first into the pool at the end. His expression as he slid down the slide was priceless. The funniest part was how Bishop would ask for a specific color to slide on. The slide was divided into 3 different slides...a red one, a blue one, & a yellow one. Tiffany would just grab a kid from the line & throw them down the slide. But of course Bishop HAD to be different. He didn't want to just be thrown...he wanted to be thrown down the color of his choice. He is a goofy kid! But he had a good time. After all of the water fun they all got to eat a popsicle & at 2 & a half, could there be a better ending to splash day?
It has been a rather uneventful evening. We are about to go read stories so Bish can go to bed. By the way, he has a new favorite book..."Scary" Veggie Tales...thanks a lot ELIZABETH!!!!
Good night all! Sweet dreams!

A Blog by Bishop

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SUMMER FUN!!! 

Cool cats, huh?! Is it the fact that they are Buzz Lightyear sunglasses or that they wear them crooked that makes them so cool:)? 

Sunday

I am sitting here this morning feeling guilty for not wanting to go to church. We didn't get to go last week so we should go today. BUT we have not had a day just to sit in our home & get things done around the house in so long..........I have Joel Osteen on DVR so we'll watch that! I just don't want to get dressed & do anything besides work on my house. Church is church, right? On t.v. or in person..it doesn't matter. The funny thing is that I LOVE CHURCH!! I just absolutely don't want to leave the house. If we go, it will take 20 minutes to get there, the service will last 1.5 hours, and then 20 minutes home & then it is 1:00. Oh....
ANYWAYS...
Robin & Caiden left this morning:(. We had a wonderful time!!! I SO wish that they lived here!!!! Maybe someday....:)! On Friday, Donald & Elizabeth came over & we played poker which ROBIN WON!!! Donald & Brad learned how to "throw" cards....don't ask..I'm not sure. Yesterday we went to the momsters & hung out. The boys played & rode in the golf cart. We had talked about going out on Saturday but we never could find a sitter. Ah...such is life when you have children. Bishop & Caiden had a blast!! They were obnoxious to one another but I am sure that is to be expected with two 2.5 year olds. They did both go to bed really easy & that was something new for both Robin & I...that was nice:). We knew that they would at least disappear for 9-10 hours @ around 9 pm:)!! Thank GOD that kids need so much sleep:)!!!
Overall, it was a great weekend! We love having them here (only wish it could be more often:)!!!! I better run...I will post another picture of the boys later!!! Hope everybody had a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!! Only 12 more days, Shawnee...:)

The gruesome twosome (Bishop & Caiden) riding the fire truck @ Grapevine Mils! 

Friends from afar...

Well we are lucky enough to have our fabulous friends, Robin & Caiden staying with us this weekend. They got here about 3:30 & got to hang out & play for a couple of hours & then I had to drag them to work with me. I am a good friend, huh? I invite them down & then tell them that I have to work...do they want to come along? Makes you all want to come visit, huh?! It was fine though...because I had to work a McDonald's & of course the boys loved that. Brad eventually joined us & we had a nice dinner of greasy burgers & fattening fries:)! We are now home & have got the kids off to bed & are watching "Saving Private Ryan." This is a very disturbing movie...makes you think about & pray for our troops & their families. All of the soldiers are somebodies babies. Hard to think about.
We will be off to Denton tomorrow for shopping & lunch w/Elizabeth. And then on to who knows where?!! Will try to blog later & post pictures of the gruesome twosome:)! Have a GREAT Friday...my fav day of the week!!!

Shana striking a pose @ the former bordello:) 

Bishp & Sam coloring at the OK City bombing Memorial 

Mom, Dad, & Bish riding the train @ the Ft. Smith park 

Bishop, Sam & Jack having the most fun at the hotel:) 

Brad, Dad, & Bishop posing at the Ft Smith Historical Site 

WEDNESDAY

I hate it when I can't think of a cute title for my blogs. I try to be creative & sometimes I just draw a complete blank. Today was anything but boring so I'm not sure why I can't come up with something. The day started early...around 1:30 this morning. Bishop never gets out of bed, if he wants me he just cries & I come to him. Not last night. I awoke with a start as a small voice about 2 feet from me said "Mommy." It scared the crap out of me. THere he stood with his pillow, his blankie & the Binksie twins ready to crawl in bed with us. I took him back to bed & he slept until 8 so all was forgiven. We got up & went to Small Fry which was fun & easy for a change. Bish made his peace hand & we enjoyed a leisurely lunch with our friends. After lunch we went over to Jennifer's house & went swimming with them & all of Bish's friends. (The list is getting long: Caleb, Katelynn, Kamber, Zayn, Caiden, Jackson....I think he has more friends than I do:) That was fun except Bish was being a brat so I had to bring him home. He would probably have told you I was a mean mommy after that. I yanked him out of the pool & brought him home & made him go to bed. He was tired but I never just make him lay down at naptime....I always let him watch a movie, but he wouldn't mind at the pool so I stood my ground & brought him home. (Can you tell I get defensive...I always feel bad about being a mean mommy...I know it is the right thing to do but I hate doing it:) After he woke up from his nap, he was a sweet boy. We all went & layed down in his bed & HE read all of his books to US. I guess he does pay attention...he read most of them word for word. His fav books right now are "Pat the Bunny." Does anyone know how many different versions there are?
That was our day so far...Bish is now watching the Wiggles in the living room & Brad is playing poker on the other computer....fun family, huh??!?!:)
I'll try to post some pictures from our Arkansas/OKC journey later. Bish had a GREAT time (so did we:)!! We got to see lots of family & see lots of places. We went & saw a house that used to be a "brothel" & an old hanging gallow. We also went to see the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. That was very sad but something I would highly recommend seeing. Our cousins from here in the big city went to OKC with us so we got to hang out & swim with them...Bishop loves Sam & Jack! Better run....have a great Thursday!!!

Bishop & Shadow napping on the way to the Lake 

Bishop & Shadow

Now I know that I have talked about how good of friends Bishop & Shadow are at some point in one of the blogs...I think. If not..they are just like brothers, they play, they fight, & then they lay down & take naps together. Shadow would probably sleep with Bish at night if he were allowed in the bedroom. I know they must act like brothers because some days one of them will not want to play with the other & then one will get mad...Bishop will cry that "Shadow won't let him hold him," or Shadow will attempt to bite Bishop (not really, but he will act like it.) He has actually bitten Bish twice (not hard enough to break the skin just hard enough to get his attention) but this was after much leg & ear pulling. On car trips Bishop will BEG for Shadow to sit in his lap. Well, tonight Shadow had to go home with Summer & family because we are going to Arkansas & can't take him with us (more on that trip later:). I tried to sneak him out but Bishop caught on. As I was placing Shadow into Linzy's lap in the car, I heard the front door open. By the time I got up to our walkway (a fancy work for concrete blocks, huh?!:) Bishop was crying, "I want my Shadow...Shadow...go get my Shadow." It was all I could do not to cry & yell for them to come back...it absolutely broke my heart. We came back inside & he would calm down for a second & then start saying that we needed to go back outside & get him. It was heart wrenching. I finally set down with Bish & explained that Shadow couldn't go with us & that he went over to Summer's to play with his friends (she has 4 dogs at her house right now). I told him we would go get him a special present & give it to him when we pick him up on Monday. This seemed to sooth things over(presents always do, right?!) so now we must get Shadow something special. Ah...the things we learn as we go along, eh?!?! I just had to share that story...melts my heart & mkes me want to cry but goes to show that we are teaching the child about the "greatest of these"...LOVE!!! Have a GREAT night all!!